252 MELANTHACEAE 



and petals narrow, acuminate, glandless, persistent. Stamens 6: filaments shorter than the 



sepals and petals. Ovary 3-celled: styles 3, spreading or recurving at maturity. Ovules 



few in each cavity. Capsule oblong or ovoid, erect or reflexed, the carpels tipped by the 



recurving styles. Seeds about 4 in each cavity, angled. 



Perianth usually white: capsules deflexed, about 8 mm. long. 1. S. gramineum. 



Perianth usually green: capsules erect, fully 10 mm. long. 2. S. robustum. 



1. Stenanthium gramineum (Ker) Morong. Stems 8-15 dm. tall, terete, rather slender, 

 simple to the inflorescence: leaf-blades linear, curved, 2-6 dm. long, shorter above, acute, 

 mostly less than 10 mm. broad: branches of the panicles spreading or ascending: pedicels 

 1-3 mm. long: perianth white: sepals and petals lanceolate, 6-7 mm. long, irregularly 

 spreading, acuminate: capsules conic, about 8 mm. long, deflexed. [Stenanthium angusti- 

 foliuin Kunth.] 



In open woods, Virginia to Kentucky, Florida and Alabama. Summer and fall. 



2. Stenanthium robiistum S. Wats. Stems stout, 8-16 dm. tall, simple to the inflores- 

 cence: leaves rather numerous; blades linear, '2-7 dm. long, or shorter above, acute, lower 

 ones usually over 10 mm. broad: panicle many-flowered, the branches mostly numerous: 

 perianth green: sepals and petals linear-lanceolate, 5-6 mm. long, acuminate: capsules 

 oblong-ovoid, fully 10 mm. long, erect. 



In swamps, Pennsylvania and Ohio to South Carolina and Tennessee. Summer and fall. 



11. OCEANOROS Small. 



Glabrous caulescent herbs, with fibrous-coated bulb-like rootstocks. Leaves alternate, 

 mainly basal or on the lower part of the stem, the outer ones bladeless fibrous sheathing 

 scales: blades narrow and elongated, successively shorter above. Flowers in terminal pan- 

 icles, polygamous, the lower ones of each raceme fertile. Perianth cream-colored or deeper 

 .\ellow: sepals and petals with a thick yellow gland, broadest about the middle or above it. 

 Stamens 6: filaments filiform, shorter than the sepals and petals. Ovary 3-celled, the carpels 

 united to the styles. Ovules several in each cavity. Capsule conic, erect, the carpels 

 tipped by the erect or ascending styles. Seeds few in each cavity, winged at the apex. 



1. Oceanoros leimanthoides (A. Gray) Small. Stems 5-12 dm. tall, paniculate at the 



top: leaf -blades linear, flattish, 1-6 dm. long, finely ribbed at maturity: panicle pyramidal, 



1-3 dm. long, the branches ascending or spreading: pedicels much longer than the subtending 



bracts: perianth cream-colored or yellowish: sepals and petals oblong or oblong-obovate, 



4-5 mm. long, obtuse, the basal gland merging into the surrounding tissues: capsules conic, 



8-9 mm. long, much surpassing the perianth. [Zygadenus leimanthoides (A. Gray) S. Wats.] 



In wet soil near the coast, New Jersey to Georgia, and in the mountains of Virginia, North Carolina 

 and Tennessee. Summer. 



12. TOXICOSCORDION Rydb. 



Glabrous caulescent herbs, with bulb-like rootstocks. Leaves alternate, mainly ba.sal: 



blades narrow, more or less conduplicate. Flowers perfect, in terminal racemes or panicles. 



Perianth white or yellowish: sepals and petals 3 each, often clawed, each bearing an obovate 



or half-orbicular gland at or near the base of the blade. Stamens 6: filaments commonly 



adnate to the base of the claws. Ovary 3-celled, wholly superior. Ovules numerous. 



Capsule 3-celled, 3-beaked, septicidal. Seeds numerous. 



Sepals and petals without claws; gland obovate: filaments free. 1. T. Nuttallii. 



Sepals and petals with claws; gland half-orbicular: filaments slightly adnate to the base 



of the claws. 2. T. Texense. 



1. Toxicoscordion Nuttallii (A. Gray) Rydb. Stems 3-7 dm. tall, racemose or panicu- 

 late above: leaf-blades linear, 1-5 dm. long or shorter above, involute, more or less curved, 

 the upper with sheaths: raceme or panicle narrow, 5-30 cm. long, open at maturity: pedicels 

 slender, longer than the subtending bracts: perianth whitish yellow: sepals and petals 

 ovate-oval, clawless, obtuse or notched at the apex, 6-8 mm. long, the glands obovate, merging 

 into the surrounding tissues: capsules conic, 8-12 mm. long. [Zygadenus Nuttallii (A. 

 Gray) S. Wats.] 



On prairies, Kansas to Tennessee and Texas. Spring. 



2. Toxicoscordion Texense Rydb. Stems 3-4 dm. tall: leaf-blades narrowly linear, 

 1-3 dm. long, or the upper shorter, conduplicate and somewhat curved, the upper sheathless: 



